Trophies Themselves Don't Create Special Happiness
Spaniard Pep Guardiola has redefined football.
Now in a battle of the ages with rival boss, German Jurgen Klopp, the pair pit wits against each other later today.
Surely the current best two sides in the world. Manchester City host Liverpool in what is unsurprisingly dubbed this season's EPL title decider.
In the usual yet almost genteel mindgames of the build up, Klopp - also in the camp of all-time football re-shaper himself - hailed his opponent as the best coach in the world.
When asked his reaction, Guardiola humbly declined the accolade.
How he did so though, remains a salutary lesson for all those in Sales - and there are way too many, sadly - who believe in the supremacy of hunting the money.
I stand firmly in the camp where that attitude ultimately leads to failure.
For me, process is king. The ideal outcome is what happens when you follow the process as your guiding star.
When you chase cash for the sake of it - aka, chase a deal for deal's sake - as your prime driver, you ultimately crash. And burn.
A snippet of Pep's words;
I became a manager to be on the pitch, preparing the games.
To feel emotion during the games.
The trophies themselves don't create a special happiness for me.
It's what we plan, what we think.
How we convince the players.
And how we are all together.
That's why I do the job.
Not to be [the best].
I contend this mindset is truly the only one. The sole way to drive a repeatable, sustainable, successful selling career.
How he goes about generating long-term glory is what pushes him.
And if I am your kind of guy, then it is what should push you too.
Trophies are a signal, yes. But they alone are the outcome that can only become the elusive succession of prizes if you focus on process. Which for me, is not some guru-given, crm-concrete, ceo-compellence magicTM.
How are you recognising and refining this crucial pattern of events that when in play, guarantee you prevail?